Feeding device.



J: MATH'ISON.

FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED/MAR. 12, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3,1908.

UNITED STATES egress: orrion.

JOSEPH MATHISON, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AsSIeNoR. To BOWEN-MATHISON MACHINERY COMPANY, A- CORPORATION, or MAINE.

manure iinvron.

Specification oflLettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed. March-1'4, 1903. Serial No. 420,656.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, Josnrn Marmson, a

" citizen of the United- States, residing at Bos ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and use-.

ful Improvements in Feeding Devices, of whlch the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in is so constructed that when the same is re moved for the purpose of emptying the but-' tons or the like therefrom andreplacing buttons of a different size or color,

them by fall onto the floor while the hopthe buttons per is being disconnected from its support. v

The object of my invention is to provide a detachable closure for the lower opening of the hopper which shall remain connected to the hopper when the same is being detached from its support, therebypreventing the escape of the buttons and which may be subsequently disconnected from said hopper to allow the buttons to be removed therefrom.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional elevation of a feeding device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan section taken on line A-A of Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 5 is a support on which a hopper 6 is mounted, saidhopper being secured to said support by means of screws 7, 7. The hopper 6.is provided; with an inlet passage 8 through which the buttons may be introduced into said hopper, sal'd hopper being also provided with an outlet orifice 9 through which the buttons are adapted to pass outwardly into a'raceway.

' '10. The bottom of the hopper 6 is provided with an opening 11 in which is located ,a

plate 11 which may besecured .to an agitator- 12 comprising a hub 13 extendln upwardly and outwardly through a ho e14 provided in the'hopper 6, there being a plufrality of brushes 15.. mounted-on said hub. rovioled with a hole 16 in which. islocate a shaft 17 detachably;con.-

The hub 13 is' together with the the :agitatOrA-Q urpose ofremovang nected to said hub by means of a thumb;

screw 18 having screw-threaded enga ementwith said hub and bearing against sai shaft.

The shaft 17 extending downwardly from theagitator 12 passes through the support 5 and'is' journaled therein. An arm 19 fast to the lower end of the Shaft 17 may be connected to any suitable mechanism to impart a rocking motion thereto, whereby the agi-H tator 12 is rocked within the hopper 6 and the buttons located in said hopper are caused to pass therefrom through the outlet orifice 9'into the'raceway 10. .A collar 20 which is fast to the shaft 17 by means of a set screw 21 prevents displacement of said shaft when the hopper and agitator are removed as hereinafter described. A U-shaped guard 22 is secured within the hopper 6 ad acent to the inlet passage 8 and serves to prevent the agitator'12 from throwing any buttons outwardly through said inlet passage.

When it is desired to remove the buttons in the hopper and replace. them by buttons of adifferent sizeor color, the operator unscrews and removes the thumb'screw 18 and the screws 7. He then grasps that portion of the hub 13 which projects above the hopper.

6 and pulls upwardly thus causing the agi tator 12 and plate. 11 to slide upwardly in the hopper 6 until said plate strikes a shoulder--23 formed in Sald ,hopper thus preventing 'the escape of buttons outwardly through the outlet orifice 9. Continued u ward movementof the hub 13 results in t e hopper 6 being separated from the support-5 and said hopper and the agitator 12 are thus removed bod ly leaving the shaft 17 in its place on the support The hopper 6 may now be held. over a suitable receptacle for the buttons and the hub 13 is then released from the fingers-allowing the agitator 12 late 11 to be removed from thehopper, t ereby allowing the but-- tons to drop mto the receptacle which is pro-- vided for" that purpose. The agitator 12 and hopper 6. are then replaced on the shaft 17 after. which the set screw 18 is screwed against saidshaft and the screws 7 which were revi'ousl-y removed are then replaced and t chopper may be refilled with buttons.

.While' I have described the, plate 11 and T removable for the evbuttons from the op'per, said plate and agitator need not necessarily be removed to accomplish this,-hut

it may be done llltlltyfOllOWllig inanner. After the screws have been removed the agitator 12 and plate 11 may be draivn upwardly transversely of the outlet oritice;$). thereby cutting oil the. escape of the buttons through said orifice and the hopper may then be removed from' the inacliine and inverted, thereby allowing the buttons to pass outwardly froin the inlet passage 8.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to 'se- 1. Ina feeding device, a hopper provided with an outlet orifice and having also an opening leading thereinto. a. raceway leading from said orifice, an agitator located within said hopper, av closure for said opening fast to said agitator, and a shaft to which said agitator is detachably attached.-

2. In a fecding device, a hopper provided with an outlet-orifice and having also an opening leading thcreinto, a raceway leading from, said orilicc, an agitator rotatabl v mounted within said hopper and extending outwardly therefrom, a closure for said opening i'asttio said agitator. a. shaft. and means located outside said hopper detachably connecting said agitator to said sliajftg- 3. In a feeding d-evicc,'a hopper provided with an outlet oritice and having also an opening leading thcreinto, a'race\va v leading from said orilicefanagitator rotata'bl'v mounted within said hopper and having a tubular stein extending outwardly therefrom, a closure for said opening iast' to said agitator, a shat'tlocated in said stem, and ineansfor detachably connecting said agitator to said shaft.

.4. In a feeding device.a hopper provided witlian outlet orilice and having also an opening leading't'herei'nto, a raceway leading from said oriti-ce,=a support-dot said hopper; and aclosure'for said openii'ig'interposed between said support lllltl ll ltflllttl'ltil" ol, 'said hopper and tlet'acliabl v-connected to said hopper; a, 5. 111 afQCtlIIIgtlQViCt'. a hopper provided with an outlet orilice angi 'havii'ig also an opening leading thereinto'. raceway leading from said Oi'lfi'ttu, an agitatorlocated with n said hopper, and a closure for said-opening fast to -sa.id agitator.

(3. ln :tfecdiug device, a hopper provided vvith an outlet oritice and having also 'an opening leading tlici'eintm a raceiv'av leading fronisaid orilice, an agitator rolata'hl) mounted within: said hopper. and a closure for saidopening fast. to said'agi'tator.

7. lit a feeding device, a l'io pp er providcd 902.827 t a e hit or ro'ti'itab y to said agitator and interposed betweei said supportaiid the interior of said hopper.

S. In a feeding device, a hopper provided with an outletoritice and having also an ppening-leading thereinto, a raceway leading from Said orifice, an agitator -,loeated within said hopper. a support for said hopper, a closure for sa id opening fast to said agitator and interposed between said support and the interior ol said hopper, and a shaft journa'led in said support and de-' tacliafbly connected to said agitator.

5). In a. feeding device, a hopper provided with an outlet-orifice and l1:l\'lll, '"1'lSt)' a1l opening in the. bottom thcreofi a raceway lead ng from said orifice, an agitatorlocated within, said hopper, a support for said hops per, and a closure -for said opening detachably connected to said hopper. I

ably connected to saidvhopper and inter-' posed between said support andthe. interior of'said. hopper. i

ll. in a feeding de\"ice,'a hopperprovided with an outlet orilicc and having also an ld iug in thel'mttouvthcreol'. a -.race\va v leading from said orilicc. an agitattn' located within said hopper and having a hub extent lug outwardlythrough the upper side thcrco'l'. a closure l'or said hopper last to said lt t agitator. a shall cxt-endii'ig into said lull.-v

and means for beniovcd transversetv ol' saidoutletorifice.)

\vlicreliv the escape (it buttons 'i lftlltlz Stlltl outlel orilicc. may be cutlt-itl'sq 'dctachalil \"-coi:incc,ting said. shal't to said hub above said hopper. T

l2.. In a device for t'ctali-ng buttons orthe 13. in a dcvicetor l'eeding buttons or the like. a liobliei provided with an outlet orilice and having also an opcnaiug; lpadiug tliei'e-.

into. a raceway leading from said o1-ilic-t' ,':1iida closure for said opening adapted to.-;he

moved transvcr'scl vol' said "outlet" oriti'ce,'-

' whereby" the escape of buttons from said J out let orilice. maybe cut oil. said closure be-' iiig adapted to--be subsctuieully moved "into." posit ion to-peruut the cscapeot buttons trout l l l d said openin i i s: I i .l-t. hi it devieetor deedin-g buttons or .the

likcya hop per provided \vitlran outlet orifice a .125

and hav ing also'an openi ng lea-ding there,

iiito,'a racewav leading from said oritic'e,

and-ti closure for said opening adapted to be moved transverselv ot' sa'i't' loutlet or-i-llce, 1

whereby the escape of buttons l lfntll'fii d outlet oi'ilice may be cut on said closure being adapted to be subsequently disconnected I orifice, whereby the escape of buttons from said hopper 'to permit the escape of i said outlet orifice may be cut ofi. buttons through said opening. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15. In a device for feeding buttons or the my hand in presence of. two subscribing Wit- 5 like, a hopper provided With an outlet orifice nesses.

and having also an opening leading thereinto, a raceway leading from said orifice, an agitator located in saidhopper, and a device Witnesses: connected to said agitator and adapted to CHARLES S. GOODING, 10 be moved thereby transversely of said outlet LOUIS A. JONES.

JOSEPH MATHISONT 

